Vehicle locking device

ABSTRACT

A vehicle locking device includes a sleeve for removably enclosing one control member of the vehicle, and a pair of locking members movable to a closed position where they may be locked together around a second control member of the vehicle, or to an open position to permit their removal from the second control member. In one embodiment, the transmission control lever of the vehicle is thus locked to the floor-mounted handbrake lever; and in a second described embodiment, the steering wheel is thus locked to a transmission control member mounted on the steering column.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vehicle locking devices, andparticularly to such devices for locking motor vehicles againstunauthorized use except by a person having a proper key.

A large number of vehicle locking devices have been constructed and arenow available on the market. However, efforts are continuously beingmade to simplify the structure of such locking devices in order todecrease their cost, to simplify the manner of application and removalof the locking devices, and to increase their adaptability for use withdifferent types of vehicles.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lockingdevice having advantages in the above respects.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle lockingdevice, comprising: a sleeve for removably enclosing one control memberof the vehicle; a pair of locking members relatively movable withrespect to each other to a closed position around a second controlmember of the vehicle, or to an open position to permit removal thereoffrom said second control member; a lock for locking said locking membersin their closed positions; and a connecting assembly between said sleeveand pair of locking members preventing the sleeve from being removedfrom the first control member, and the locking members from beingremoved from the second control member, when the locking members arelocked in their closed positions around said second control member. Theconnector assembly further includes a block carried at the end thereofadjacent the sleeve to which one end of the sleeve is pivotally mountedabout a pivot point laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis of theconnecting assembly. A pin is threadably received within the latter endof the sleeve and is engageable with the block for fixing the pivotangle of the sleeve with respect to the connecting assembly to permitthe locking device to be preset to fit different vehicles.

It will thus be seen that a vehicle locking device constructed inaccordance with the invention may be used for disabling two controlmembers of the vehicle and not merely one. Thus, the invention isparticularly useful in vehicles having a handbrake and a transmissioncontrol lever both mounted on the floor, in which case the lockingdevice disables both the handbrake and the transmission control lever.It will also be seen that the locking device may be conveniently andquickly applied and removed by the use of a proper key, and that it isof relatively simple structure which may be manufactured in volume andat low cost.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one form of locking device constructed inaccordance with the invention particularly for use in vehicles having afloor-mounted handbrake lever and also a floor-mounted transmissioncontrol lever, FIG. 1 being a side elevational view, partly in section,illustrating the construction of the locking device, and FIG. 2 being anend elevational view of the locking device; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a second form of vehicle locking device,particularly useful for vehicles having a transmission control levermounted on the steering column, FIG. 3 being a side elevational view,partly in section, of the locking device, and FIG. 4 being an endelevational view of the locking device.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The Embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2

The vehicle locking device illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is, as mentionedabove, particularly useful for vehicles of the type having afloor-mounted handbrake lever, and also a floor-mounted transmissioncontrol lever. The illustrated locking device comprises a sleeve,generally designated 2, for removably enclosing the floor-mountedhandbrake lever; and a pair of locking members, generally designated 4,relatively movable with respect to each other to a closed position(shown in full lines in FIG. 2) around the floor-mounted transmissioncontrol lever, or to an open position (shown in broken lines in FIG. 2)to permit removal from the transmission control lever. The two lockingmembers 4 are locked in their closed position by a lock 6 operated by akey 7, both of known construction. Sleeve 2 is connected to the lock 6and the pair of locking members 4 by a connecting member 8 of aconnecting assembly generally designated 9.

The pair of locking members 4 consist of two semi-circular curved jaws4a, 4b. Jaw 4a is pivotally mounted to the lock 6 by means of a pin 10,and jaw 4b is pivotally mounted to jaw 4a by means of a second pin 12 soas to be pivotal to the open position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2,or to the closed position shown in full lines in FIG. 2. Jaw 4b isformed with a recess 14 engageable by a locking pin 16 projectable fromlock 6 in order to lock the latter jaw in its closed position. Lockingpin 16 is retractable out of recess 14 upon the insertion and rotationof the proper key 7, which thereby permits the jaw to be pivoted to itsopen position. Movable jaw 4b may be provided with a plastic fingerpiece 4c bonded to its opposite faces to facilitate gripping and movingit.

Connecting member 8 is made of a hard metal of cylindrical configurationand is formed with internal threads 8a for receiving an externallythreaded rod 18 of the connecting assembly 9 and fixed to the lock 6.Rod 18 may be adjusted with respect to connecting member 8 and locked inany preselected position by locking nut 20. In this manner, the lockingjaws 4a, 4b may be manually adjusted with respect to sleeve 2 in orderto fit the locking device to vehicles having different spaces betweenthe floor-mounted transmission control lever enclosed by the lockingjaws, and the floor-mounted handbrake lever enclosed by sleeve 2.

Sleeve 2 is pivotally mounted to connecting member 8 by means of a pin22 laterally-spaced from the longitudinal axis 23 of the connectingassembly 9 and passing through a block 24 of the connecting assembly.Block 24 is fixed to the end of connecting member 8 by another pin 26.Sleeve 2 normally assumes an obtuse angle with respect to connectingmember 8 and the locking jaws 4a, 4b, which angle may be adjusted by athreaded pin 28 threadedly received within block 24 coaxial with thelongitudinal axis 23 of the connecting assembly, to fit differentvehicles.

The manner of using the locking device illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 willbe apparent from the above description.

Thus, before applying the device to any particular vehicle, the anglebetween sleeve 2 and locking jaws 4a, 4b is prefixed for the particularvehicle by adjustment of the threaded pin 28. Similarly the distancebetween the locking jaws 4a, 4b from the sleeve 2 is prefixed for therespective vehicle by threading rod 18 more or less into connectingmember 8, and then locking it in position by nut 20. Once the lockingdevice has been adjusted for a particular vehicle, it is only necessaryto open the locking jaws 4a, 4b by the use of the key 7, apply sleeve 2over the handbrake lever, and then close locking jaws 4a, 4b around thetransmission control lever. Clamping jaw 4b is thus locked in its closedposition by locking pin 16 of lock 6 received within recess 14 of thepivotal clamping jaw 4b.

When the clamping device has thus been applied to the handbrake leverand the transmission control lever, it will be seen that both of theselevers are locked in position, thereby preventing operation of thevehicle.

In order to permit operation of the vehicle, key 7 is inserted into lock6, and rotated so as to retract locking pin 16 from recess 14, whereuponlocking jaw 4b may be pivoted to its open position. The user may theneasily remove the locking device from both the handbrake lever and thetransmission control lever.

The Embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4

The locking device illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 is designed for use invehicles having the transmission control lever mounted on the steeringcolumn, whereupon the transmission control lever and the steering wheelare both locked to prevent operation of the vehicle.

The locking device illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 comprises a sleeve 102for removably enclosing the transmission control lever, a pair oflocking members 104 and 104b relatively movable with respect to eachother and lockable in a closed position enclosing the steering wheel,and a locking device 106 carried by connecting member 108 connectingsleeve 102 to the locking members. One of the locking members 104a isfixed to connecting member 108 by a pair of pins 110, and the otherlocking member 104b having plastic finger pieces 104c on its oppositefaces, is pivotal to locking member 104a by a pin 112. The free end ofthe movable locking member 104b is formed with a recess 114 receiving alocking pin 116 carried by lock 106 and urged by a spring 117 intorecess 114 of the movable locking member 104b to lock it in its closedposition with respect to locking member 104a around the steering wheel.Locking pin 116 is withdrawable from recess 114 by the use of a properkey inserted and rotated in the keyhole of lock 106, to permit lockingmember 104b to be pivoted to its open position.

It will thus be seen that the locking device illustrated in FIGS. 3 and4 is applied by first unlocking locking member 104b, pivoting it to itsopen position about pin 112, applying sleeve 102 around the transmissioncontrol lever mounted on the steering column, and then pivoting lockingmember 104b to its closed position so as to enclose a part of thesteering wheel. Both the transmission control lever and the steeringwheel are thus locked, thereby preventing operation of the vehicle.

While the locking device illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 does not includemeans for adjusting its various parts in order to fit differentvehicles, it will be appreciated that such adjustment means asillustrated in the locking device of FIGS. 1 and 2 may also be includedin the locking device of FIGS. 3 and 4.

Many other variations, modifications and applications of the inventionwill be apparent.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle locking device, comprising:a sleeve forremovably enclosing one control member of the vehicle; a pair of lockingmembers relatively movable with respect to each other to a closedposition around a second control member of the vehicle, or to an openposition to permit removal thereof from said second control member; alock for locking said locking members in their closed positions; and aconnecting assembly between said sleeve and pair of locking memberspreventing the sleeve from being removed from the first control member,and the locking members from being removed from the second controlmember, when the locking members are locked in their closed positionsaround said second control member; said connecting assembly including: ablock carried at the end thereof adjacent said sleeve to which one endof the sleeve is pivotally mounted about a pivot point laterally spacedfrom the longitudinal axis of the connecting assembly; and a pinthreadedly received within said end of the sleeve and engageable withsaid block for fixing the pivot angle of the sleeve with respect to saidconnecting assembly to permit the locking device to be preset to fitdifferent vehicles.
 2. The vehicle locking device according to claim 1,wherein aid pair of locking members consist of a first jaw carried bysaid connecting assembly, and a second jaw pivotal to said first jaw. 3.The vehicle locking device according to claim 1, wherein said sleeve isdimensioned to enclose a handbrake lever of the vehicle, and saidlocking members are configured to enclose a transmission control leverof the vehicle.
 4. The vehicle locking device according to claim 1,wherein said pin is threadedly received within said block coaxially withthe longitudinal axis of the connector assembly.
 5. The vehicle lockingdevice according to claim 1, wherein said connecting assembly includesan externally-threaded rod connected to said pair of locking members,and an internally-threaded cylindrical member threadedly receiving,through one end thereof, said externally-threaded rod and closed at theopposite end thereof by said block.
 6. The vehicle locking deviceaccording to claim 5, wherein said connecting assembly further includesa locking nut for locking the rod in a selected position with respect tosaid cylindrical member.